President Donald Trump returns to Pennsylvania this evening, heading to the state’s northwestern corner in his latest effort to boost GOP candidates.

His last foray into the state was in Wilkes-Barre in August, when he headlined a rally for U.S. Senate candidate Lou Barletta, who was an early booster of the president.

Tonight’s rally will be in Erie, where Trump’s appearance again could give Barletta a lift in the statewide race, where he’s been trailing Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey by double-digits.

But the rally site also is in the 16th Congressional District, a Republican-leaning district where U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly has been in office since 2010, when he defeated Democratic Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper.

With the national atmosphere favoring Democrats and a rejiggered congressional map that reunified the traditional Democratic stronghold of Erie County, pushing the GOP district slightly but significantly left, the congressional seat has crept onto the list of those that national Democrats view as potentially competitive within the commonwealth.

Tony Coppola, DiNicola’s campaign manager, said the president’s impending visit signals that the district is competitive.

“Donald Trump wouldn’t be going there if he thought Mike Kelly was safe,” said Mike Mikus, a Democratic strategist based in western Pennsylvania.

Public polling, however, still favors Republicans.

A majority of the district’s voters — 54 percent — say they support Trump, according to the Times poll. Just over half say they want Republicans to remain in control of Congress, and that they want their member of Congress to support Trump’s agenda.

Trump’s rally appearance could benefit Kelly in the district by further energizing his supporters, said Phil English, a former Republican congressman from the region.

“It’s an ideal place for Mr. Trump to come in and make an appearance,” English said. “Presidents don’t usually bother to come to Erie.”

English expressed skepticism that the GOP-held seat was in jeopardy, suggesting that the expected message from Trump and Kelly on the economy and trade would resonate in an area that has been shaken more recently by manufacturing job losses.

Kelly’s campaign also says it is feeling good about the race, touting Trump’s visit to the area as intended to rally the GOP base.

"I am honored and excited that President Trump will be returning to Erie, a place that was critical to his election victory in Pennsylvania,” Kelly said in a statement. “Under his administration, the American economy is winning again in every measurable way.”